Echo my heart - Lindy Layton

After the release of 'Silly games' Lindy Layton's debut album 'Pressure' (1991) followed. It was mostly produced by Norman Cook and Driza Bone. Her second solo single was 'Echo my heart', which peaked at number 42 in the UK.

I didn't buy this single for a long time, despite the fact that the shop had it for months at the same price. In the end, my curiosity could no longer be contained. I bought the single but didn't play it very often.

My collection: 7" single no. 2477

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, April 30, 1995

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Echo my heart' / 'This isn't fair'

The thin wall - Ultravox

'The thin wall' was released as the first single from Ultravox's 1981 album 'Rage in Eden'. Like the album, the single was produced by Conny Plank. Its stark synthesizer-based music was similar to Ultravox's previous singles from the album 'Vienna'. The band was rewarded with a reasonably good chart placing, peaking at number 14 in the UK singles chart.

I bought the single twice: the regular version on black vinyl in 1995, and a few years later the limited edition pressing on clear vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 2485 / no. 3228

Found: Record exchange, London, October 30, 1995 / London, 2004

Cost: 1 pound / 1 pound

Tracks: 'The thin wall' / 'I never wanted to begin'

Ik wil alles met je delen - Maywood

The sisters Alie en Doetie de Vries took on the names Alice May and Caren Wood and formed the duo Maywood in 1978. Their songs - performed in English - were mostly theatrical ballads and popsongs. Their early work was produced by ex-Kayak drummer Pim Koopman. After their success seemed to elude them in the late Eighties, they tried to regain public profile by representing the Netherlands in the 1990 Eurovision Song Contest.

The song 'Ik wil alles met je delen' ('I want to share everything with you') wasn't the success they were hoping for: they finished 15th in the Contest. After this, the duo fell apart and even went to court on a few occasions. Alice May is still touring the Netherlands with Maywood songs these days.

My collection: 7" single no. 3687

Found: Private seller, received May 4, 2009

Cost: 3 euro

Tracks: 'Ik wil alles met je delen' / 'Wat zijn we met de wereld aan het doen'

From a lover to a friend - Paul McCartney

The sticker on the sleeve of this single states that the profits from the sales of this single will go to aid families of the New York firemen and police. This statement makes it clear that the single was released after September 11, 2001. And indeed it was: although 'From a lover to a friend' was recorded earlier in the year, the single was released in October 2001.

Still, the subject matter of the single doesn't have much to do with the events in New York: it's a personal song in which Paul McCartney tries to come to terms with the death of his wife Linda McCartney. When he sings 'Let me love again', little does he know that he will fall victim to greedy mrs. Mills. But did the police and firemen in New York get a lot of money? I doubt it; the single only made number 45 in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 3351

Found: HMV, London, November 2001

Cost: 2,5 pounds

Tracks: 'From a lover to a friend' / 'Riding into Jaipur'

When the snow falls - Ten Sharp

The band Ten Sharp debuted in January 1985 with this single, 'When the snow falls'. It was quite an impressive debut, with its melodramatic chorus and heavy instrumentation. But even though critics were very positive about this single, the record-buying audiences were not impressed: the single stalled in the Dutch bubbling under chart and did not reach the Top 40. After three more singles, the band fell apart.

However, after Ten Sharp returned with only core members Marcel Kapteijn and Niels Hermes remaining, they had a big European hit with 'You'. This led to them recording a debut album 'Under the water-line'. This album featured a version of 'When the snow falls'.

My collection: 7" single no. 262

Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 5,5 guilders

Tracks: 'When the snow falls' / 'Time and time'

Love is like oxygen - Sweet

The Sweet were a popular glam rock band throughout the Seventies in the UK, racking up no less than 10 top 10 hits, including one number 1 hit. 'Love is like oxygen' was their last hit single, peaking at number 9 in the UK singles chart. The single was released after the band had switched labels and took on a different style, comparable to Electric Light Orchestra. Indeed, 'Love is like oxygen' is often mistaken for an ELO song.

In the Netherlands, the single peaked at number 16. I think I've always liked the song, but I did forget about it for a couple of years. When I heard it again in the early Nineties, I started to look for this single. It took me ages to finally find it.

My collection: 7" single no. 2840

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, April 5, 1997

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Love is like oxygen' / 'Cover girl'

Mirror man - Human League

'Mirror man' was released in November 1982 as the first single after the Human League's hugely successful 'Dare!' album and tour. The track was reportedly inspired by the Motown sound. The lyric was subject to a lot of speculation, until in 1988 Phil Oakey revealed that it was about Adam Ant. Oakey had become concerned that Adam was starting to believe his own publicity, and was in danger of losing touch with reality. Oakey had avoided revealing this at the time for fear of offending the song's subject.

The single became a number two hit in the UK, and peaked at number 24 in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 2815
Found: Record fair, February 1, 1997
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Mirror man' / 'You remind me of gold'